Fresh produce to distant grocery stores

AJ Drew

AJ Drew

Was contacted by a wholesaler / distributor about fresh produce.  Now wondering how that could possibly work.  Isn't produce shipped via refrigerated truck when it is going to a distributor?  I looked them up and they are not huge or anything.  I wonder if things like large flat rate boxes are good enough for folk like that, folk who will take the product, split it up, ship to grocery stores, and expect the product to keep long enough in the grocery stores to sell.

Thoughts?
 
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Scuba_Steve, I imagine that would work and am now wondering if there are boxes with sufficient dead air space to act like a cooler.  I know larger shipments go in refrigerated trucks, but can not imagine producing such a volume and I am sure these folk dont want such a quantity.  Sure there is a middle of the road solution & think you might be onto something with dry ice.  Hmmm... 

What ever happens, think it is going to be a learning experience.
 
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I would think once you start doing it that way the shipping costs are going to leave you in the red. Talk to the person about accepting the sfrb's because you probably can ship those out more frequent to keep a more fresh supply stocked and don't wash your peppers which could help extend their life. Let them wash the peppers, besides how many super hots would a non-chili-head really purchase at one time? Good luck however hope you're successful
 
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When I order fresh /frozen meats from here
http://www.cajungrocer.com/
 
They ship 2 or three day and food arrives fresh/frozen  even when delayed a day or two. They use a special cooler type box though.
I will see if I have a pic from my last shipment. I do know they pack dry ice in the box with it, but am guessing you would need to be careful not to freeze the peppers.
 
Looks like they ship 2 day air . I know they have a min order to ship fresh/frozen product, so it may not be cost effective for peppers.
 
Ajdrew I was gonna pm you this pic, it is the top of the container, do not wanna post i open forum with addy and such but your box is full I guess :)
 
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This is what you would want IMO:
http://www.uline.com/Grp_93/Insulated-Shippers-and-Supplies?pricode=WF712&AdKeyword=foam%20shipping%20boxes&AdMatchtype=e&gclid=Cj0KEQiAqemzBRDh2vGKmMnqoegBEiQAqJPuyMAjREUB9r4_zG6r8H70R1Kj5avR9zJArEP25YfP6McaAlwt8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds
 
The insulated shipping kits.
 
And skip the dry ice.  I could see(I have no evidence) the gas it puts off destroying the peppers.  Get gel packs.  If you get the re-usable ones you could have your client save them up and send them back to you to re-use after they get 10 or so or whatever.  Those gel packs stay frozen for 2-3 days in my experience.
 
I would ship at least 2 day with fedex or UPS.  Although USPS priority is guaranteed 3 day I think inside CONUS.
 
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Pfeffer, FDA advises produce not be washed by the producer because it decreases shelf life.  I found my answer by talking to a friend who grows and sells hot house tomato and bells to Krogers.  He is sure they are refrigerated from the distribution facility on because he can identify his product and it seems to have a far greater shelf life once it gets into their hands.  Its just a guess, but seems dead on because he will take to market what is left over after Krogers gets their share.  The stuff at market will get too old to sell (goes to his pigs, ducks n chicken) before the stuff at Krogers runs out.

So my guess is if I wind up growing for the person who asked, it will be as you said.  I dont do anything different because they take over with that.  Well, other than washing.  FDA says only the end user should wash most produce.  Weird because produce on display in the grocery store is usually absolutely clean, likely waxed, and under misters.
 
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In my experience it greatly helps. If your pods are clean (grown in a greenhouse) you should be fine without. I grow under a transparant roof and have chickens around, so I have some dust flying around in the summer. If I don't wash the pods they Quickly start getting mold or black/tan bad spots.
 
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Pfeffer, weird.  I have had much better luck shipping when I do not wash.  I have to change from picking in the AM and shipping in the afternoon when we start to get dew.  If I pack and ship with any moisture in the peppers, they go bad much faster.  Its not a problem when things are going to market.  So my guess is that moisture gets inside, so if you box them up and ship them it stays inside the pepper or maybe gets out but only into the box and promotes rot.

Thing is, some of the grocery store produce is washed and then put into plastic bags or boxes where there is no circulation either.  Very confusing this is.  I wonder if maybe it isn't that at the grocery store it is air conditioned and in a mail truck it is not.  Maybe being in a closed, dark, and hot place the moisture is bad but change one of those and it is OK?
 
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Well there are many factors, but it's safe to say that moisture promotes fungal and bacterial growth. I also suspect them of using additives in their washes (like a mild preservative sollution).

If there is residu on your peppers, like mine having dust on them you're basically introducing soil born pathogens to the mix. So I pick them in the evening, wash them in cold tap water (just toss them in the filled sink, leve them for half an hou and in the mean while turn them a couple of times with your hand) and spread them out over my (cleaned) dinner table over night. In the morning they are all dry. They usually last well over a week.

Thin walled peppers are the first to go. Simply because they dry out and go soft. I had very few cases where they actually rot, Usually they just dry out and don't look fresh anymore.

Most likely that's why they pack them in plastics.
 
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Pfeffer, in the few states I have lived the main stream grocery do add something to their misters.  Not sure exactly what is in it, but I know wax is one of the ingredients.  Makes them shiny.  I wouldn't be surprised if there is a wee bit of an antibacterial.  Not that I think the things that are added to city water are bad, but it is funny to note that a grocery down the way has a spray system on organic produce.  Uh ye, chemicals are organic.  Again, I dont think there is anything wrong with the practice other than promoting it as organic seems misleading.



 
 
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